Special Thanks to Tommy: George & Gracie’s Landlord

IMPORTANT: Messages from osprey experts

Rob Bierregaard July 1, 2015 at 7:24 am
I haven’t seen the little guy yet this morning, but I would be very surprised if he survived the night. That sure was tough to watch yesterday, but that whole process is as much a part of the essence of being an Osprey as is eating a fish. It’s part of the life of Ospreys that was rarely seen before we started putting cameras in nests. As hard as it is, we should not label the behavior as mean or cruel. Being mean or cruel implies that there is intent to do harm just for harm’s sake. Those young were responding to a set of stimuli (very little food being delivered to the nest and the presence of a very small young) in a way that evolution has hard-wired into them. It helps ensure their survival. Nature is not cruel. It is harsh, unforgiving, and often random (had the little guy been born 1st, he would have been just as aggressive as was his sibling), but not cruel or mean.

Paul Henry ospreyzone July 1, 2015 at 8:17 am
Thanks Rob for bringing your knowledge and experience to help us all gain perspective here. We are all saddened by the events that unfolded before our eyes and it’s only natural for all of us to feel and express our emotions appropriately. There have been many issues pertaining to intervention which have been discussed amongst us all. There is no doubt in my mind that the right decision was made, to let nature take it’s course. By the way, that doesn’t equate to heartless, on the contrary, nobody feels worse about this then the apparent decision makers. I say apparent, because when all was said and done, and all the issues were properly weighed, there really weren’t any other options. It was clearly pointed out, by experts, that intervening at this stage could have spooked the whole nest to the point of losing all the young. If the little one was saved, and nursed back to health, what kind of a life would it have had, perhaps caged up in a zoo. I remember when I was younger I saw a golden eagle in captivity, caged behind a wire mesh. I could practically see it’s tears. As far as placing the little one in another nest, such a low probability of success would never have justified the possibility of spooking the nest. There’s a piece of me, however heavy hearted, that believes that perhaps it is better to be born free and die free. We mourn for the little one as we marvel at the wonders of nature.

Reprinted with the permission of John W. Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Hello Paul,

Thanks for your query, and you have my admiration for persevering. We know very well how tough your job is, including dealing with an anxious public.

Our policy with our Bird Cams project is essentially “just say no” to pleas for interference. The behavior you are witnessing – while seemingly cruel and heartless to us – is natural for many kinds of birds, especially those that feed on variable, unpredictable food supplies. The little nestling does have a chance to survive, but if it does not then that result was “meant to be” by the nature of Osprey breeding strategy. The wonderful things about these nest cameras also sometimes yield the difficult things for us to watch. As you might know, we actually post a “siblicide alert” on some of our cams where we suspect the possibility exists.

I’m copying your note to Charles Eldermire, project leader for our Bird Cams. He may have some additional comments, and he would be the one to ask if we might be able to use your stored files for biological analysis.

It’s also important to acknowledge that intervening can also cause problems of its own—depending on the ages of the birds in the nest, disturbing them can trigger an early fledge. We have restricted the scenarios in which we would even consider intervening to injuries or dangers that are explicitly human-derived. For example, 3 or 4 years ago we were alerted by viewers that one of the osprey chicks at the Hellgate Osprey nest was entangled in monofilament line. We consulted with our partners there (wildlife biologists, raptor researchers, raptor rehabbers) to determine if the monofilament was an issue, and if intervening was both likely to solve the issue AND not have bad effects on the other nestlings. In the end, a quick trip to the nest was scheduled via a bucket truck, the monofilament was removed, and the nestlings all eventually fledged. In that case, all of the permits were already in hand to be studying the ospreys, and we had already discussed how to approach issues in the nest.

I’ve been to your site—great cam! And I noticed the runt in the nest. This is just normal Osprey reproduction. It happens all the time and you should not intervene. It’s tough to watch, but it’s how nature works. Ospreys almost always lay 3 eggs and on average fledge between 1 and 1.5 young each year. They stagger the hatch so there is a spread of ages in the young. That way, if food is short, the first-hatched (and therefore largest) will get enough food to survive while the smaller nest mates do not. If all three young were the same size and there was only enough food for 1 young, none of the young would get enough food and they would all die. If there’s lots of food, the smallest will eventually get fed and can survive. These nest cams can show some gut-wrenching scenes. The most infamous perhaps was one of the very first Osprey cams (on Long Island somewhere), where the smallest young died. One of the adults carried it out of the nest and after several minutes flew back into the nest and fed it to the other young. Waste-not-want-not at its goriest. At Hog Island up in Maine just last week a Bald Eagle came in and took the young out of the nest. Last year at another nest, cameras documented a Great-horned Owl taking young Ospreys out of a nest in NJ or MD. All of these things have been going on for millions of years and Ospreys are doing fine.

Could I make a suggestion that when people post they put the time from their location. With people watching from all over it would be nice to know when they saw something as sometimes the posts seem to get delayed. Just a thought. Thanks

It’s almost 5am (ET) and Gracie is calling for George to bring breakfast. Screen seems foggier this morning which leads me to believe that one of the babes had a good BM over night. Any rain in the forecast?
Happy 4th of July 🙂

Is there any talk in the near future until the Great Migration South. About Banding the Occupants of the nest and possibly placing GPS or Cell Tower Based Tacking Systems.
The is a Research Program in Rutland U.K. The Team first banded the Parents and then the 6 week old Chicks. All this was done by Expects in handling the young Chicks. At no point were any chicks harmed or traumatized and great care was observed at all times and the entire process took 51 minutes. And surprisingly Maya (The Mom) protested very little and the Babies were returned to the nest without any problems. The upside to banding and tracking is the statistical data and information gathered in maintaining Osprey health for one.
Lastly if anyone is interested in tracking an Osprey there is a site Animal Tracker run by The Max Planck Institute. And oddly they have an,Osprey in Mattituck named North Fork Bob and he is a fixed with a Tracking System which you can see where he’s been in a 2 week period and when he migrates what route he takes and where he spends his Winter ( Usually in the Amazon Rain Forest.

Excellent article. Great progress using this technology. It would be an extension to your efforts learning about this raptor family if you participate with this professional program. As I always say in my archaeology education, “Preservation through Education.”

The last time I was in this site, it was PeeWee’s last day. My heart was breaking when I saw how the little one was treated. His body may still be in the nest, but his soul/spirit is in Heaven. It is a blessing that he does not have to suffer anymore. All of the responses that I have read sure do show the love that everyone had for PeeWee, and how much he will be missed by them, as well as by me.

Jen, I think peewee’s body is covered by nest debris now. Gina, That’s so sad about the accident that destroyed the osprey nest. The 2 nests near me are farther away from the road and located in the marshlands.
It seems to me that since the baby is gone things have been more peaceful in the nest. I haven’t seen the other two siblings fighting like they used to.

Hi Jen it was a sad week but i believe little peewee remained in the nest & amongst the branches. He wound up getting his dark feathers like his siblings and also the white stripe down his back. At least they all stayed together.

The last time I watched was sadly pee wee’s last day. It was a rough one. I’m glad his suffering is over but can someone tell me what happened to his “body”? Is he still in there or was it removed? I hope our little family doesn’t mind tomorrow’s fireworks. They will have one of the best views.

It has been a tough week for Ospreys and Osprey lovers. Not only did we witness what happened to Peanut, but a nest near me that was on the top of a telephone pole was hit by a drunk driver and it crashed to the ground. There were three babies in it. One died and two are being cared for by a local humane association. I can’t help but think of the parents… where are they and are they looking for their young? Seeing the nest on the ground broke my heart today.http://www.longisland.com/news/07-02-15/bayville-auto-accident-osprey-birds-nest.html

Always worried about that nest at its position straight north on a hairpin turn east into Bayville (obviously missed by the “driver”). I’d heard the O’s originally wanted to build up on the light wires which was why the pole was put there – drove up there today on an errand and to see – snapped pole and nest all over the ground…heard the second baby also died (News 12 update yesterday afternoon) and the third is nursing a broken wing. Poor parents! Also heard male was seen attempting to bring new sticks (local info, not “News”). So sad after watching “Pee Wee” fight for his/her life here, then this…They seem to be making great strides, despite learning curves (what have you) and idiots. I see more and more overhead each year – one today near a nest southeast of that disaster was screeching with his fish flashing in the sunlight. I’d be interested to know what the parents of the lost Bayville babies do…anyone?

Hi Kathleen…Maybe for next season local authorities in Bayville could consider putting up a nest platform near where the pole was….Since the osprey will most likely return next year, they would (hopefully) use this instead of the pole…..We have a nest near me in So. Md where the osprey nest on top of a light pole/sign on rte 4! This nest has been blown down a couple of times and if there’s lightning, well, it is metal! They did put up a nest box nearby, but other osprey use it as it is on the other side of the road….We hope they will put one on the side w/this pole so these two will nest in a safer place! Too sad about the nest and the babies….Will hope for a positive outcome for the remaining little one.

Yes, I have seen the parents circling where the pole was. There are some other platforms set up nearby, but over the years the Ospreys have chosen not to use them. They know better than we do! There is a lovely, big, empty nest on West Shore Road, but it is on one of the poles they are going to tear down. I hope one of the Osprey experts will tell us what they think about the parents and the future of the one surviving little baby. Here is a video of the news report and him being fed minnows at the arboretum. He is the same age as “our” babies.http://longisland.news12.com/news/2-baby-ospreys-killed-1-hurt-in-freak-accident-1.10605590

Such fortunate people we are to be able to witness this beautiful part of nature….even with the trials and tribulations the joy is overwhelming…the good so outweighs the bad…and sometimes there is even comedy…this young couple are named Mai and Mikk….they have a lovely nest (and 2 babes now) in Estonia…nest observers believe that they are a first time nesting couple (Mai wears a ring that identifies her as a local 3 year old) and are inexperienced…but they are doing wonderfully with their young…back in May, while they were building the nest and getting prepared Mikk brought a nice fish for Mai…he miscalculated his landing……

On most nature cams I’ve watched the male tends to remove the head from” incoming meals” when the young are quite small…reducing the possibility of the prey flopping around and injuring the young. As the young grow, more prey is delivered with the head intact….

It’s more of a energy thing for George, fishing is hard on the male, finding fish and than diving in the water and than carrying a huge fish out of the water is energy draining, eating the head is giving him all that energy and power to keep fishing, alot of protein and such.

Just because you don’t see George or Gracie on camera,that does not mean they are not around. There is a perch above the camera which is out of view. Click on more highlights you’ll see what I’m writing about.

The babies are never alone. George is actually on the radio tower out of the cameras view. Some times you can only hear him and sometimes you can actually see his shadow on the nest. I dont believe they would leave the babies unattended unless a long period of time passes and the other does not return.

His remains are the same location where he died, which is close to the center of the nest. His fellow siblings sleep and sit upon him as if he wasn’t even there. And, in a way, he is no longer there; he’s in Osprey heaven.

I went out of the Mattituck Inlet yesterday- it looks like the chicks in the northernmost nest are about the same size as these guys. What’s really neat was seeing mom & dad perched on the edge of the nest & 3 little heads were sticking up over the edge watching the boats pass. Most of the babies in the nests are about the same age & little heads peek over the edges of most of the nests. I also notice that sparrows seem to prefer nesting in the bottom of the osprey nests & the ospreys ignore them. I hear a lot of chirping in the background that sound like sparrows- are they ‘sub-letting’ to the sparrow family?

Yesterday and again today I witnessed very unusual behavior. I assume this is the pattern with George and Gracie, but it is very unusual for Ospreys in general. Both time George brought in a fish it was still flopping in his talons. He passed it straight to Gracie, who then tore it up and fed it to the young. Male Ospreys almost always take a meal before delivering a fish. Usually they eat the head of the fish before dropping it in the nest. Then after leaving Gracie to feed the young awhile, George reappeared in the nest and she fed him! He would swallow some bites and then pass some on to the young closest to him. I’ve asked some of my colleagues with many years’ Osprey studies under their belts and no one has witnessed this behavior. Just goes to show that Ospreys have personalities and are not all identical clones. I suspect this is a young male who hasn’t quite figured it all out yet. It will be really interesting to watch his behavior over time.

Hi Dr. Bierregaard. It is great to see you here, and to be able to learn from your expertise. You are a highly respected Ornithologist, and we are indeed fortunate to have you here monitoring this nest. I didn’t find George’s behavior unusual, because I have seen this at the Hog Island nest over the past two years. Steve often brought whole, flopping fish to Rachel. One in particular, last year, actually flopped for over 10 minutes, while Rachel tore it apart from face to tail, and fed it to the 3 “P’s”. It was the first time I ever had to look away during a feeding! Unfortunately the Hog Island watchers will not be able to monitor that behavior any more this year, due to the tragic events, however next year is already highly anticipated. Thank you so much for being there for all of us.

Rob,
Thanks so much for posting your observations. Right now I’m watching Gracie feed George again. At about 12:00 nest time, after she had fed the chicks, George attempted to take the remaining fish from her but she wouldn’t let go. He opened his mouth to be fed like the chicks and so she started feeding him and has continued for 20 minutes.
Earlier this week,before the little one died, George brought a fish to the nest which he fed to Gracie. I thought that was odd enough with the chicks already hatched. That same day I also saw both George and one of the chicks foraging for bits of leftovers. The baby was trying to swallow a large piece of scale (or whatever it was) and George attempted to pull it out of his mouth. He lost and the chick swallowed it. I found that really strange.
As for Gracie, I’ve noticed she doesn’t seem to know that she should shelter the little ones from the sun and she also attempts to feed very large pieces of fish. However, she does make a huge effort to make sure they eat.

Rob, I am interested in knowing your thoughts on this mother also. She does not seem to display the same care for her young as other female Osprey I have watched , like shading them from the sun. I have only been watching Ospreys for a very short time but to me both parents seem a little distant from their young.

Rob – Is Gracie supposed to be shielding her ‘babies’ from the sun? They seem to want to huddle under her wings; sometimes she gets away from them. Also, are they staying close to the edge of the nest in preparation to fly soon?

Not sure the name of the ship, but we are having Tall Ships this weekend here in Greenport. There will be 6 ships in total here throughout the weekend. I’m happy someone got to see the ships, been looking myself and haven’t seen any, just in town.

Hi Gina,
As far as Gracie “favoring” her left foot. It really is a bird thing. I have parrots and when they are relaxing they tend to often stand on one foot. So that is just Gracie trying to relax and take a break. 🙂

JB, the first thank you was for the beak answer….. These are so cool… I just saw your answer about being high up and predators. I just looked at the pictures…..WOW!!!!! Not only is the nest way way up there, it is HUGE!!!!!!!! It looks like it is setting upon a full size pallet ( skid ). The adult bird in the pictures gives me a better perspective as to his ( her ) size……. This is so amazing! Thank you very much! :)… this is better than tv any day… 🙂

Hi Paul. Thanks so much for all of the time and effort you’ve devoted to this cam and for allowing us the opportunity to see these beautiful raptors up close and personal. Do you plan to band the young ones when they are ready and, if so, will you please let us know in advance of the banding date so that we may watch? Thanks again and kind regards.

I cant imagine the babies sitting still for another six or so weeks before they get restless and more active and go closer to the edge …….before they learn to fly ….. This is more stressful than having my own children at least i could catch my kids before they fall.

If anyone is interested in observing another Osprey Nest go to Ospreys.org.uk. The nest is located in the Rutland Perserve in the U.K. The Chicks are about 2 weeks older than ours. And at this stage in their development that they are learning how to Fledge and they are in the early stages of Flight. So we can see what is in store for our Little Guys. And also it’s a great site to learn the research and they have a Foster Parent Program that actually is very successful.

Got home from work and scrolled thru comments and then watched the 4:30ish feeding. It was funny to see the one chick who wasn’t being fed yet going after the fish’s tail! Glad to hear George is back on the job!

Be very glad that you did not see it. Have never witnessed such brutality in all the years I have been photographing birds and their nests. The two chicks main goal was to kill the little one and they did not rest a minute until they did. Towards the end of his torture one had him by the head flinging it every which way. I notice how docile they are today and yesterday after they accomplished their goal. I have lost all affection for these two chicks. Was not a good year for my Osprey watching. A violent hailstorm broke all three eggs in the nest I watch in Missoula, Montana. Then, a pair of eagles took the two osprey chicks from the nest that I watched in Maine when they were about 3 weeks old. One eagle distracted the mother and the other took the chick and came back 45 minutes later and did the same thing.

I find it ironic that sibling #1 (the MOST brutal) is laying right on top the poor Chicklet, whom
is becoming part of the nest. Nature is really messed up in a lot of ways, and majestic in others.
After much thought on all of this, I have come to the conclusion that considering all aspects of
this much unfortunate situation (the height of the tower, the lack of good food supplied by George,
the inexperience of these Osprey parents, the inability to reach up and just rescue the Chicklet without
perhaps causing catastrophic events to the whole nest, etc. etc. etc., the way it went was the only way, given
resources of the owner of the tower, property, etc. I have fed wild birds, and even feral cats for many years,
and see nature’s smile and fury.
We all just have to hope for the best of this nest, and cheer on these parents who are facing enormous odds
that there will be an abundance of fish coming and they may have to deal with starvation for themselves as well
as the young. Literally THOUSANDS of bunker are dead and buried at the dump in Riverhead, due to expulsion
of nitrates from the sewage treatment plant. (which everyone wants to keep very hush hush)..

It’s around 4:40 PM and why on earth is Gracie feeding this chicks with her back to the nest. She was just staring down at that fish for quite a long while before she started to fee the chicks. They’re picking at the tail now!

I really have not noticed but do the babies have the long hooked beak yet? I did notice a few days ago how large their claws are… and ,..to me,…. they still look kinda like plucked chickens a little…although i can see little feather sprouts…

Although I follow the osprey nest in Bremen. Last year Rachel and Steve have three eggs hatched. Pia was at a disadvantage compared to his brothers Poole Pan, because three days from hatching Pan and four from Poole. In Bremen, the food situation was different than many smaller fish Long Island a few big fish. When mom Rachel fed the chicks were always the two biggest that sated before because they had the strength to ask for food. Pia smallest had trouble taking a bite. Even the experience of Rachel was crucial not to leave fast Pia. Enough two days Pia took little food to increase the deficit and the weakening growth and Pia would not have survived. But with the passing of the days set aside the difference with his brothers and proved to be the smarter and stronger. She stole the fish to his brothers, she was the leader. As was said yesterday, it is not always true that the youngest is the unhealthy is only younger.
This year two chicks kidnapped by the eagle. In the forum someone said that a eagle distracted Rachel and the other acted. Someone else said that Rachel was disturbed by the loud noise of a chainsaw and left the nest unattended. The male Steve was fishing.
Who can say why Gracie acted as it did. The variables of survival are countless.

Movement attracts most birds ( of prey ) … The babies are moving around ( and stretching ) a lot more… is this extra moving around ( as the babies get older ) attracting more nest enemies? Is this why the parents seem to be more on the alert?

Keep in mind that Osprey prefer to build their nests in places where it cannot be overlooked. If there were nearby trees where larger raptors could sit and look down upon then the nest would be at a distinct disadvantage. However, Paul, the creator of the nest elevated it high above trees or neighboring buildings in which it could be overlooked. Birds are not able to hover, and rarely fly over or above the nest. Gracie and George have a superior 360-degree view at all times.

Have a look at Paul’s recent photos that provide a very good perspective:

His body lays on center of the nest – you can notice similar white linear mark just like bigger chicks have – I think the body may attract other predators and they may be a reason why Gracie is so loud today. Sorry for grammar mistakes if any…

It looks like whatever was covering the little runt’s body was blown off the nest. I can see that white line on his back. Poor little guy! RIP Rocky. (That was my name for him since he kept fighting for his life). 🙁

I am glad it only goes back 4 hours. Let’s leave that little one a little respect. I prefer to remember the day the big ones both slept and George and Gracie took turns feeding Peanut and doting on him. It was a peaceful, beautiful moment. One we would not have witnessed if not for the generosity of Tommy and Paul.

I surely do not want to see that tragic event again. It will haunt me the rest of my life. In all my years of photographing birds and birds’ nests, I have never been so horrified as I am to the beatings and suffering this poor little bird took from its nest mates. In its short two weeks on earth it suffered immensely. One can say “nature” and “survival of fittest” forever, but it will not erase the brutality of it all.

I agree Coleen. I have never witnessed anything so brutal as the suffering that little one endured. I continue to try and process what occurred. Not nature at its finest. Every time I hear a bird chirp outside my window it sounds like the little one to me. I am sure our sadness and dismay will pass in time. Yet I cant help thinking I will not forget that little bird, for whatever reason.

Thank you all for sharing your honest feelings about the atrocities that poor little Peewee endured. I’ve been checking the comments to seek some kind of comfort that I’m not just over reacting to something “that is normal in nature”. I am actually mourning the loss our little baby and am still processing the visions of suffering I witnessed. I don’t think I can ever forget that. This “little bird”, no matter how tiny or short his life, has made a huge impact in my life. I will never forget him/her. Just content the suffering is over and is finally at peace.

Can we please view the footage of the chicks beating the young one? I am here to learn more about the behavior of the Osprey and that includes everything, not just the “cute” moments. Thanks I appreciate it.

Just to clarify, everything was aired live. There was no editing for “cute” moments. If the owner of this site doesn’t have the time to put together highlights of the siblicide for you, be assured you can find many on YouTube. Just Google. If you’d like to see the Bremen Maine nestlings being snatched by an eagle, those highlights are posted in a separate section on that site.

Yea thanks I saw that live. The sibilcied as you call it is one of the biggest events of this nest so far So all im saying is that it should be available for thoes of us that are interested in observing the behavior of the osprey. I am a Student of science and being able to veiw everything is the best way to learn. All i was doing was asking.

mitchell you came in at a bad time. Most of use on the site have been here since the beginning and were all witness to the events that led up to the demise of the runt. It was very emotional for most of us. We all wanted him to survive and not expecting what happened to him in the mean time. Next year start off with a nest from the beginning to witness all the good, the bad and the ugly of mother nature.

Karin from Rockland
July 2, 2015 at 8:30 pm

You are so right Donna, I have been watching from the beginning as well as my Mom in FL. We miss the little one too, I had no idea they do this to one another. I kept saying if only he can eat and another couple days so he can be strong enough, big enough. But it was not the case….

I’m guessing going on youtube and keying in avian siblicide will unfortunately, yield some videos. Most upsetting imagery. I’m sorry I witnessed it. I’ll remember that little chick for the rest of my life. Like the boxer who kept coming up and trying again.

I agree. It was devastating to see. I caught bits of it when I was checking in, but didn’t consider it valuable to watch! I can totally understand researchers analyzing it … Really analyzing it … to understand the situation in the nest, the behavor of parents, the behavior of sibs of different ages, sizes, etc. I’m a researcher and I very much get that. However, the value of sitting and just “watching it” at length escapes me. To me it is the difference between a scientist analyzing shark attacks in detail and a curious person deciding to sit and watch a close up film of a friend being eaten by a shark. Yeah, just rewind that and watch again so you don’t miss any details!
Sorry, I’m still stressed over the Osprey nest tragedies of the last weeks and losing patience!
Off to watch the puffling!

I agree as well. The torture of the baby went on for days and was brutal to watch. I had to keep turning it off, and I can’t for the life of me imagine why anyone in his right mind would deliberately choose to watch this horror. If Mitchell wants to know, all he has to do is picture a poor, defenseless creature pecked at mercilessly every time he dared to so much as try to stretch its wings or even raise his head. At the end, the bullies had pulled out all his head feathers. Then, they went after his wings. Not in a hurry, but continually, hour after hour, day after day, till he just gave up and died. I am still wiped out by what I saw and will never in my life forget it.

Gigi
July 2, 2015 at 6:02 pm

I was totally traumatized by that behavior as well and I stopped watching once the more serious pecking and beatings began. I could only follow the comments at that point which were difficult as well. Even so, I saw more than I ever wanted to see. I am glad there is this comment section as it is comforting to know that we all share the same grief for our little one.I can’t believe how much spunk and fight he had in him. Will always remember that special little one.

Blanca
July 2, 2015 at 6:35 pm

I’m right there with you. The suffering little Peewee endured was horrific and has really scarred me. I’d wake up at night dreading for the sun to rise because I knew his suffering would continue. I wouldn’t even look at the live feed anymore but just read the comments to see if the baby made it through the night. And, I completely agree about never forgetting what we saw. I was on my treadmill last night and just started bawling for this “little bird” that was just part of “nature”. He suffered a long, torturous death and no one or no creature no matter how small, should ever have to go through that.

Hello,
Thank you for this osprey cam and the privilege of viewing these magnificent birds. I looked for other sites after the eagle attack on Rachel and Steve’s nest in Bremen, ME, last Friday. I just wanted to find a way to recover from the distressing sight of seeing two osplets (I saw Big and Little hatch) snatched from their nest. I witnessed the siblicide for the wee one here and thought the same may have happened if R&S’s third egg had eventually hatched (it was not viable). We humans grow so attached to other living things in Nature, it is no wonder we assign our own emotions and sensibilities to them. I have cried and cried over Big and Little- tearing up as I type this- and I cried when I saw the inevitable for the wee baby on this site. But I believe the greater love is to see these birds thrive, survive, and live well in our environment. There is nothing wrong with having feelings and emotions over the losses we have all had with our Osprey families. It is, in fact, being who WE are: human. So I celebrate the survivors, mourn the loss of what could have been, and look forward to what comes next for all of them. By far and away, the folks on this site, and on explore.com, are the kind of folks I like to be around- your compassion and caring make the world a better place for all creatures, human or otherwise.

Good afternoon Donna – Try watching the osprey cam on Maryland’s Easter Shore (The Nature Conservancy) Tom and Audrey…they have two chicks in the nest that were placed there from another nest when their eggs did not hatch, they are foster parents (see complete story on their site, as well as the video of chicks being placed in the nest)..You can also click on their perrigrine falcon cam but the babies are bigger now and often out of view; one of the chicks seemed dehydrated when they were banding them so he was taken to a raptor rescue facility , treated, fed, and returned to the nest two days later! They also have video from previous years to view, even when they freed an osprey in the nest from a fishing net….very informative site….This cam is IN the Chesapeake Bay by the Bay Bridge.

susan and Donna. There is also the Cornel Labs site and they have an osprey cam as well. Stanley and Iris. They lost their 3 eggs to a freaky hail storm a few weeks back, so we will never know what those chicks could have become. They still come and go but no more chicks for this year. That nest is in Montana.

Donna – I could not agree more with what you said or the way you expressed yourself. I am still upset by what I saw and was sorry I did see it. However for what it’s worth, it is nature’s way to instinctively destroy what cannot survive and grow – in my opinion, it was not the other nestlings being intentionally cruel. We have to remember that what we saw is undoubtedly replicated in nests all over and while that does not ease what we saw, it may explain the hard lesson we learned. Helen

Wow George brought back breakfast and another bird followed him to the nest and then flew away. It definitely took them by surprise but when the bird came back again George flapped his wings and then the 3rd time the bird tried to land in the nest again George almost went after him and stood guard while Gracie fed everybody. That was about 1 hours and 20 minutes if you want to rewind it and watch.. Very cool!!!

Maybe someone has already commented on this but it almost seems that George may have recognized there was too much competition in the nest when he “decided” to limit the amount of fish on Tuesday and thereby precipitating the events that occurred. Maybe the parents also have an instinct to help manage the success of the nest.

I posed this question to the Experts for the chat today over at the Explore.org site? I don’t know if the question will be acknowledged. But, since the parents did not stop the behavior on this nest. It makes you wonder if it was intentional in order to manage the success of the stronger first hatched.

I see other nests with 3 thriving chicks this size. I don’t think the male would withhold food if it was available. I think is was a bad few days of fishing with murky waters. And with the hunger situation ramping up, competition ramped up as well. Just my thoughts, but if there is ample food around, it doesn’t make sense for an animal to purposely keep a set of his genes from surviving by holding back this catch from them.

My kids have really enjoyed this site, and got a HUGE kick out of the poop incident. They are 3 and 5…it figures 🙂 We have two osprey couples nesting close to our house here in Virginia, but we are loving watching this nest up close and personal. We read “Awesome ospreys: fishing birds of the world” by Donna Love, and they’ve fallen in love with the birds. We’ve learned so much from watching this cam, too. Thank you so much for all of it (even the sad parts).

I have a question for the experts… I have lived by the beach near osprey nests for years. Every 4th of July I worry about them because of all the fireworks – especially the ones set off by kids right near the nests. Do they both stay and protect the babies? Thank you.

I noticed yesterday that while rearranging some of the nest Gracie picked up that black paper & it covered the little guy who is no longer with us. Isn’t that amazing! I don’t know if she actually did it on purpose or if it just blew over him, but in any event he is now covered.

I have always loved Ospreys from afar and this close up peak into their world has been totally fascinating and addicting! Thank you Tommy and Paul so much for sharing this wonderful site. It was certainly tough to watch the little guy fail but as others have mentioned it’s the way of nature. Did anyone else see the other adult Osprey land in the nest at about 9:30 with G & G? George had just returned with a fish and the other Osprey followed and landed in the nest!

Interesting bit of Osprey biology just now as George brought in a fish that was still flapping when it hit the nest. Unusual for a male to deliver a fish intact to the nest. The males usually eat the head before they bring a fish to the nest. All that screaming Gracie was doing was food begging, letting George know she and the brood were hungry. Someone asked if that was the alarm call. It was not. The alarm call (when another Osprey is invading their space) is more of a loud chirp repeated a bit more slowly than the hunger call. There was also a 3rd Osprey that followed George into the nest, trying to steal the fish, most likely. This will be a good meal for the youngsters.
I see that George and Gracie are doing their bit for cleaning up the beaches around the nest! Quite the garbage collectors.

Yes, I noticed that, too. He did that yesterday morning and it looked like she had difficulty tearing the head apart. But when she finally got down to the meaty area, everyone was happy. I also see George brought a rock to the nest. I guess he felt it couldn’t hurt!
I am really enjoying reading your posts. Your expert views are priceless to me. Thank you!

Hey Rob. This George should use some coaching from our Steve at Hog Island. And Gracie may be calling for food now, but when little peanut was starving Gracie was not doing any of the screaming we’re hearing now. These two need the manual ‘osprey 101’

Paul, I have watched many different cams with owls, eagles, peregrines, etc…but noticed that these nests are covered or somewhat protected. The osprey nests are the only ones that seem to be out in the vulnerable wide open. It was just something I noted, and can understand how these particular birds have so much to deal with. Hope you have a good day and thanks again, for your moderation’s.

Last night was the first time I tuned in after dark, what an amazing view of the full moon shining and making the nest so visible. Absolutely beautiful. Their wings are so bulky and awkward for them at this stage in their lives I never thought about that, they don’t seem to know what to do with them. Again THANK YOU all for this opportunity even with all the ugliness or the siblicide and worry of the lack of feeding it’s been a blessing.

I know the ospreys need an open space for their nest to ease landings and takeoffs but this downside of this is how they’re exposed to the heat. Hard to see these birds panting in this manner. I wish the fish would come so they can get hydrated as well as fed. I’ve seen three chicks perish in 5 days time. Brutal stuff.

Yes I agree….all future comments should be positive only…we all had the option of tuning out for a bit, to let nature take its course….if it was too much for us to watch…hopefully the babies will now thrive. This is a wonderful opportunity to view these beautiful birds. Thank you to all who make this possible.

Gracie very vocal this a.m. Even the chicks are chiming in. Hope George is up for an early breakfast. I worry he may have pulled a muscle or something after the incident with the net. I know he did bring back fish that afternoon, but he has been a bit off since then. Are fishing conditions bad?

Seems there might be a problem with Gracie now. This is her second day not having a bowel movement. She gets on the ledge and tries, nothing happens. Could be from the stress or NOT getting enough to eat to move it along. Can someone post if they have seen her have a bowel movement? Please, she shares so much of our hearts and has gone through so much thus far. The “critters” on her sucking her blood, her crying for food, ect. We sure don’t want her sick now…and what she did to #1 and #2 was use her beak on a pressure point to calm them somehow. I may be wrong in my thinking and am a “worry wart”. So someone with the “know how”, please try explaining to us untrained, things that are going on in the daytime hours with these beautiful creatures of God. Can she die from a blocked bowel?

I actually haven’t noticed Gracie’s movements in that area but maybe she is constipated due to dehydration? George didn’t bring any food 2 days ago and so maybe that’s the cause. If she hasn’t gone, I hope she does. Hopefully George will bring big fish for them to enjoy this morning. She sure is squawking enough for him to get on the ball and provide for his family. Gracie is a wonderful Mom and I think George is trying his best. Still missing Rocky though. Nest just isn’t the same without our lil fighter.

Bonnie….From the years that i have watched Eagles, Ospreys RTH ect..the adult rarely will have bowel movements at the nest. They will leave the
nest to do that. Rarely will one ever go at the nest. Guess it’s like don’t go where you eat. When they bend over like the chicks, i think it’s more like stretching.
Gracie just left now so probably the urge was there to go…..

Did anyone else notice that at first it was #1 (Gigi) who was the main aggressor towards #3 (Rocky) yet in the last day or two it seemed to me that it was #2 (Izzy) who became the main aggressor? Did anyone else notice that or was it just me? Made me curious as to if it was an age thing and that maybe Gigi had grown out of her bullying phase and thats why Izzy started? Either way, I will miss Rocky very much. I learned a lot from that lil dude and although he may not have been with us for very long, I think we can all agree he truly left his mark on our hearts. R.I.P. Rocky. You’re free !

This is for the viewer who is wondering what the bulge is on the baby chick.

Osprey Crops

Ospreys are diurnal raptors (active in the daytime), and all raptors of this type have a special organ called a crop, which is a swelling at the base of the esophagus that forms a storage area where food can be held for later digestion. When the chick’s crop develops over the next couple weeks, it will look like a small bulging protrusion on the chick’s chest, and its presence will make life easier for the whole family. For the chick, the crop means the little bird can quickly swallow food that its siblings might want, and for the adults it means the chick can go longer between feedings.

This is to the person who answered my question about one of the babies who had a bludge in there neck..
It was called a osprey crops….
Thank you..
I love this feed what a view & very interesting about these birds…
Thank you Tommy…

The puffling hatched today. Puffins lay only one egg … Thus no sibling hostility. The burrows are well protected, so no threat from eagles. The parents are experienced and very good. No guarantees the puffling will live to fledge, but generally a more heartwarming experience than we’ve all had with Osprey this season. You do need to have a high tolerence for utter cuteness.

Thank u Micheal Martin for your comment & also Paul & the experts for the time & effort that went into bringing us this amazing experience, i am still grieving from that strong beautiful baby but i know i also want those other two babies to make it to a beautiful osprey and fly away . I want to research and educate myself further & hopefully help…… These tears aren’t in vain.

Just wondering if anyone has noticed that #1 seemed to have a growth or something going on with his neck ? It’s in the front of his neck almost looks like a ball..He keeps falling down..Just wondering…

That is his crop. It is full of food. Here is a definition:
“In a bird’s digestive system, the crop is an expanded, muscular pouch near the gullet or throat. It is a part of the digestive tract, essentially an enlarged part of the oesophagus. As with most other organisms that have a crop, the crop is used to temporarily store food.”
So he’s well fed!!

I so wanted the little runt to make it. I was rooting for him. Oh well, nature is brutal. But, life goes on. What made this interesting for me was watching the little runt trying to survive. Not sure if I want to continue watching the live feed. Perhaps it’d be interesting to see them when they leave the nest. Does anyone have any idea when that may potentially happen?

I would like to apologise for all those who rant at you. The projected anger of people nowadays apparently knows NO MANNERS! You are kind enough to educate us in the osprey’ name. Just bcse we are not happy with Mother Nature doesn’t call for ANY profanity! I wonder if those cursing have ever seen a chicken beheaded (running around) getting it ready for human consumption, or a beef/pig killed or gutted for consumption? It isn’t all pretty until it arrives in the meat dept of your local groceries. Those exempt from these “animal murders” would be a vegetarian. I eat meat and have seen it all done. Just as cruel as Mother Nature. I block it out and eat fish and chicken anyway. NONE OF IT reason for ranting and profanity!! T/U, Paul for your courage!

Fledge is 48 to 59 days from hatching (according to the Audubon site). I think these guys hatched on June 12 & 13. If so, we’re looking at the very end of July to mid August. It will be fun to watch a bit prior to that as they will stand around flapping their wings and rising up a bit over the nest before they get the nerve to actually fly.

Can someone tell me where to find the “official” rules for posting comments? I don’t see them on the site. I tried to post a comment but it said ‘awaiting moderation’ and never showed up. I’m trying to figure out what I may have said that someone, perhaps, didn’t like. Is there a particular moderator to contact?

Paul and the Staff
Is there a possibility in the future before the migration south starts that the birds would be tagged and trackers placed to monitor the progress during the winter months and a question. Do the off- spring migrate South with their Parents and what happens to the Chicks once they Fledge. Sorry one last once they do fledge how long will the Stay Safe Keep your Head down and always Remember to wear your SCBA in the nest and do the winter with the Parents

I am reaaly sorry that you get those type of posts. I really didn’t expect 24/7 active monitoring. I wasn’t sure how posts showed up after regular hours and into the wee hours of the night. I thought there was some kind of program that withheld posts if certain words/language was in the post but let others go through. Again, I was trying to figure out if there was something I said that wasn’t allowed since I couldn’t find any Rules for posting. Thanks.

I had the same problem when I first tried to post You have to make sure when you receive the email confirmation letter to confirm and open up a blog account it may take some time before it posts but that’s how mine finally posted a day later.

Hi Carol
The deceased chick is still in the middle of the nest. The adult may remove the body or it may become part of the nest. Will have to wait and see.
The other 2 chicks look great. I saw them both today with full crops after eating a good meal.

For the past couple of days, I’ve only “peeked” at the nest every once in awhile…There are times when Nature can be so difficult to observe or understand…Just thinking what the little one endured brings tears to my eyes but he/she’s at peace, free and soaring with the angels…RIP, Little One…..

Thank you, Karenliny. It’s a good sentiment to sum up what seemed to us, the onlookers, a sadly short cruel life. As a watcher of many nature programs, I have seen these situations in many instances, not just birds. As quick as we are to convert these actions to human experiences, we must realized we are aliens trying to explain the incomprehensible. Thank you, Paul, for giving us such an honor. And happy journey little Peewee.

I hope I can speak for all of Us. I want to take this opportunity for all of us the have a glimpse at the Pristine life we call Nature. We have many ups and downs while viewing your site, on the whole they were mostly uplifting. We were able to witness the Beauty of nature as it gives Life but also how it will take it away. Whilst it was emotional to see the little one abused then die. But it’s Life and it’s natures way of saying that ” Only the Strong Survive” if the only lesson we have learned so far is that Fire may not seem far at times but we can move on from here and understand the Plight of the Ospreys and how we can help in their stuggle. There are several Organizations that help thru education and awareness so give them a look- up. Finally, we all started out as Stranges just stopping by to watch an Osprey Nest. But after 3 weeks we turned into a Community United into the preservation to help all Living Things. PAZ

I agree Mr. Martin,wildlife is an experience that brings many together. PleAse May come back as a bird I feed in my backyard or my grandchild or being the 4th of July weekend,the next General PATTON!!! That’s how I have to look at these things to stay sane

I won’t be back at this till next year. Hope the other two make it after they leave the nest. It’s a harsh world,but they seem to be rugid enough. Hopefully the Duke Farms eaglets don’t find out about this nest. Or….maybe I’ll text them now

RIP Pee Wee. A late feeding time, and mom seems to be favoring #1. I noticed #2 patiently waiting his/her turn. Finally #1 was full, and #2 got fed. Pardon the pun, but there is a pecking order for sure.

i feel this is my online family i been watching since my friend Tommy put up the camera. i am so very upset with the passing of our little on osprey #3. i named the osprey hope since i had so much for the little one. hope put up a tuff fight and its very hard to watch but i must see how the other 2 ospreys develop. God rest now my Hope

Great comment Karenliny. To everything ……..
To those who are still distraught why not make a donation to your favorite children’s hospital, thinking of the strength and determination expressed by that young osprey, pales to the plight of some of our own youth.

love watching nature in its Natural State.. Although it was hard to see the little one get beat up ( I did only check in once a day after that) .. There’s a reason.. And Mother Nature controls it.. Now it’s time to move on.. I love this site, thank you so much for this lesson .. It’s awesome

I am really glad that humans did not interfere with the events that unfolded in the nest. I am very interested to see what actually happens in nature otherwise I would not watch. So I appreciate the fact that this cam allows us to see it. Speaking of seeing it, is there any way I can get footage of yesterday’s events? I missed out on it. If anyone can help I would appreciate it very much thanks.

We probably can never learn what was happening in the minds of our Osprey family yesterday. For all of us who have been watching and rooting for the runt and been hopeful he could overcome. But, yesterday, the nest behavior changed for no apparent reason, except that there were three mouths to feed, and a huge size difference between the first and third born. Suddenly, yesterday morning George just didn’t choose to fish. Not for a little while, but for the entire day, while the chicks remained in the nest in direct full sun. All of them were suffering, but it was clear the little one was getting hit the hardest. The only source of hydration is the food they eat, and all day they had no food. I wonder, though I can only speculate like anyone else whether George and Grace did what they did yesterday to better enable the two oldest to survive? It seems openly cruel, but it probably presents the best opportunity for survival of two, rather than three.

I too watched yesterday. I could not help remembering back to when my dad passed away 7 years ago. He was receiving hospice care in the hospital and the nurses removed his saline iV. My mom waa upset, but then it was explained that our bodies want to dry out before passing. It eases the pain. I could not help but think that George and Gracie were programmed to know this. Yes, we might think that nature is cruel, but the species survival is contingent on the survival of the fittest.

June, Your not alone. I’ve cried so much my head hurts. I couldn’t watch but I had to read to find out what was going on. Reading about the Little Guy this morning I just cried all morning reading all the comments. RIP Little One!

I said goodbye to the little guy yesterday. I knew he wasn’t going to make it and could not bear to watch anymore. I stayed off all day today until now. I’m glad he is finally at peace. So sad. This site is wonderful showing nature in the raw, but nature at times can be so brutal. RIP little one.

I have been following this site since nearly the beginning.
I can’t seem to shake the feeling that the little one’s place on the earth was to inspire us. To persevere when the odds are stacked against us. To remain resolute in our determination to succeed and, in fact thrive. And also to be kinder and gentler to this planet by picking up after ourselves and, indeed, others. It is a pleasure and an honor to have witnessed little one’s days on this earth.

there is such a void….everyone staying off to the side… i had watched the parents go out of their way to see the wee one got fed ( we think he had an eye bitten out ) but the parents did nothing to interfere with the attacks..It’s sad. Had he been bigger he could have fought back…Even though I can’t look at the older brats, uh I mean older babies, the same way they are still babies and I do want to see them grow and learn to fly.

Likely our little dear PeeWee will become covered by sticks and other nest detritus as the parents continue to add to the nest and rearrange things. Possibly removal by one or the other when decay becomes an issue if not covered first.

i was wondering what would happen to the body of the little one. i just tuned in and i see it covered. That is amazing! .my heart was so heavy this morning, but this is such an awesome journey to be able to share in their world. if they only knew, so many people are watching. i pray for this osprey family all to thrive.

From their behaviors, it seemed like they were inexperienced. The dad at Hog Island brings in half a dozen to 13 fish in a single day, to feed his mate and two chicks. George failed to supply food and when he did, the parents ate a good part of the fish. He brought in a large fish and it fed the whole family well. Had he brought in even three more fish a day, at this stage of growth, its possible it would have not had the consequences we’ve all observed with the death of the little guy. Gracie did not ‘demand’ food by calling all day. At Hog Island Rachel is rarely quiet, calling for fish to feed the family, and she doesn’t even need to. Steve is a great provider. Had Gracie been a lot more vocal, its quite possible George would have stepped it up.

bostonbean, I was just telling my husband about the difference in parenting between these two and Steve & Rachel or the Osprey in Boulder , Co. Even with maybe fewer fish for this couple they do nothing that resembles parenting. No shading from the sun or cleaning up the nest. I agree and I am new to this , that they seem very inexperienced.

Omg what an emotional roller coaster this has been.. We have been routing for this little guy.. He was so strong to be able to endure being beat up and starved for the length of time that he did.. I know its mother nature but I cant stop crying.. I am so happy that his suffering is over… their journey continues…

Love you baby bird. It was too much at the end to see you suffering.
Now I remind myself the fish also has his eyes pecked out while he is still flapping.his trail and feeding Osprey family. Sad, cruel, yes.
But..The living goes on.

Are there any of the experts out there that can tell us what will happen to the chicks body? If the parents have not taken it off the nest does it just get mixed in with the nesting material over time ?

I am hoping she will remove it and not feed it to the other 2 but she may according to other comments of other nests/cams. I don’t know if the siblings would take it upon themselves to just help themselves but that may be possible also. I’m surprised he is still laying there. The other 2 have been curious and have hovered but because he is not moving they have left him alone. I will not watch any cannabilism.

I am sorry if I missed this in any of the information comments but what happens to the body of the little chick? Will they carry it off eventually or will it just rot there? I have no idea what happens in the natural way of this progression. I am trying to watch and form some joy out of the other two but it’s not easy with the little guys body laying there in the middle of the nest.

Some parents feed it to the young like in the above statements from one of the experts and i also saw a video where a chick bigger than this one got beat up and fell on his back in the hot sun and died like that and the body rotted in the nest, the sibling would tear some of the body off it and eventually the body got mixed in with the nest.

You all really need to stop anthropomorphizing these birds. They are not self-aware, emotional beings like humans. They may mate for life and care for their young in a way that appears to equate to love but it does not. They do not think and feel like we do. If they did, you would probably not eat chicken. Survival of the fittest means exactly that in nature and the killing of that chick by its siblings is the embodiment of that. If you don’t like it, don’t watch. If you did something to try to save that chick, the other two would probably die. As it is, chances are that only one of those chicks will survive to fledging.

Even if you learn how to speak and understand Osprey, which to be sure you will not, then you have no concept whatsoever what an Osprey may think or feel. It’s difficult enough to know what another human being thinks, let alone another species. This is precisely the reason for humans to take the easy way out by suggesting that non-human brains do not feel, think, conceive or reason. For all we know, these Osprey have a better concept of life on earth and how to deal with birth, death, loss and daily challenges than any human now or ever will.

Relax Matt. Not all humans are self-aware or emotional. If they were we probably wouldn’t eat any of the meat we buy because of what they do to the animals. Maybe we would all be healthier. Commercialism is ruining our planet. Even the fish they feed the young could be contaminated from our polluted waters.

Please do not tell others what to think and to feel. I do think the birds have feelings. I will never listen only to what ” experts” say, but listen more to my inner voice. Experts are very often wrong; in this case they are only humans and not birds…we all are. It might be that the souls of the birds are at a much higher level than humans…who knows???

I think everyone agrees that Osprey and humans are not identical. But, as far as I can tell, you don’t have any inside knowledge about Osprey thoughts and feelings. Time and time again we have learned than animals are smarter and react emotionally in ways that experts “knew” they didn’t. So, if I were you, I’d reserve judgment on this and refrain from telling others what to think or say.

Matt, thanks for your on the spot comment. It is hard to watch nature take its course but have seen many wildlife situations that break your heart because nature is exacting and demanding. I personally am thankful to those who have spent the time and money to set this opportunity up for all of us to learn and view. It is in fact a great learning chance and educational experience that we can enjoy. Hopefully both of these will fledge but odd are not always in their favor. Thanks again Paul for your patience and willingness to provide this service.

Ironic how much there was to eat today for the ospreys. There would’ve been plenty for the little guy but it was not to be. At least there will be no more torture to watch and, in time, maybe we can forgive the bigger ones for their survival instincts…if that’s what it was. All I know is that in the Wolf Bay nest the bigger two used to bonk the youngest and try to prevent him from eating. He persevered and is much bigger and stronger today. There was no mindless biting like here – it was all food related.

It’s hard to see Gracie literally sleeping on a huge chunk of fish while the little one lays lifeless a few inches away. If only there were just one or two more fish yesterday… We may have seen a different outcome. 🙁

Birds are really not nice animals. They are our closest relatives to dinosaurs who were certainly not too nice. So when we see George & Gracie unable to feed the runt of the litter and watch him die we shouldn’t be too surprised. As so many others have commented, nature is not always so pleasant. But if you think about it, humans are not always so pleasant. They are one of the few living organisms that kill for fun (or religion, or greed, or envy, jealousy, etc., etc.). So, when we say “so sad” just think about how humans behave and then nature’s way will actually seem gentler.

I’ve been so drawn to this site. I went through great emotional strain during the struggle. Watching now, all seems perfectly peaceful. Wondering what happened to the little one’s remains. Hope that the survivors will live & grow & that we’ll see them leave the nest.

Wow she is really telling him ,whats up. amazing! Then him straightening sticks and the two are acting like strange. mother looking out and away. then one of the bigs trying to kiss up to mom.Dad flies off..

I couldn’t watch any more yesterday and see today that it is finally over for the tiny one. I asked my mom last night to please reach down and scoop him up to heaven with her. She must have heard me. So glad his ordeal is over. RIP

So sad to see the little one gone. While I know this is nature’s way, I can’t help but feel a certain animosity towards the other two. It was such a brutal display, but I guess it’s survival of the fittest.

I’m guessing there isn’t a lot of human activity under an Osprey nest? It seems like a fairly dangerous place to be standing when it comes time for said Osprey to rid themselves of consumed fish!
Just sayin’…;-)

Yes, thank you Paul for all that you do/have done to allow us this glimpse into nature and the world of the Osprey. You were under a lot of pressure. I am sure you felt bad yourself for the baby and the drama unfolding before our eyes. You did a great job Thank you. I hope you and all the Ospreyzone watchers have a better day today.

Paul or any of the moderators, question for you. As difficult as it was yesterday, is it possible that George did not bring fish to feed the family, as it is natures way of having what actually happen, happened? Like if there was nothing to eat, then the stronger of the babies would instinctively do what they did? It was just a thought I had, and I certainly do not want to sound mean, I was just curious. I am in awe of nature, with all it has to offer. Thank you!

I’m not an expert in any way, but I don’t think that is the case. If there was ample fish to eat at all times the baby might still have lived. I have been watching (more like peeking in) at a nest at Island Beach in NJ and at one point some years ago there was ample food to raise 4 chicks. Also last year, one fierce storm seemed to do in the male while the female was sitting on the eggs, she stayed as long as she could until survival dictated her to find food, when she left the eggs and a chick were killed by other birds, owls, gulls, etc. We forget that survival in the wild is often tough and not guaranteed. Its the gamble that nature plays… if there was enough food to go around, all three of these chicks may have made it. If there were no advantage to gambling 3 chicks in a nest in such a staggered manner, nature would only allow 2. Very sad, but when we peek in at wild animals and their lives, we see it all, the good, the bad and the brutal. In the few years I’ve been watching osprey nests, I’ve never seen such a gap in hatchings, they always seemed one or two days apart. I wonder if because this little guy was so late compared to the others hatch date if he ever had a chance. Thank you to the folks running this camera, its a worthwhile interesting and educational endeavor. I hope you continue to do so in the years to come.

I commented the same thing yesterday evening when it seemed he was on his last breath, dad left nest to return not 30 seconds later with a fish I would have been happy to catch on rod and real. I do believe also that peewee was also a late hatcher which pretty much put the odds against him in a nest of meat predators such as these. I remember watching when the others were hatching and worried this could happen when the last egg didn’t hatch for sometime putting him/her way behind the others. Not sure if these eggs were placed in nest or was laid by the mother.

While difficult at times, I am enjoying watching God’s wonderful nature unfold in front of me. Hopefully the 2 remaining little ones won’t harm each other as they fight for food. Thank you Paul for this site and the tough decisions you have had to make over the past week.

I’ve been watching the progress of this family along with my 2 grandchildren ages 10 and 8. Recently we had a family of Robins under our deck and the kids were frustrated because they could hear them but not see them so this has been a wonderful opportunity. We were very excited to see the babies and rooted for peewee through his struggle to survive. As with everyone, this has been a difficult day for the three of us. The kids were sad but both said he was better off dying now instead of continuing to suffer. They agreed from the beginning that he should not have been removed from the nest as they couldn’t imagine how bad they would feel to be taken from their parents (no matter what). We are now looking forward to watching the others thrive and grow. Thank you for the opportunity for us to share this peek into real nature.

I never thought I could have a cold heart towards any creatures great or small but I cannot find one warm feeling for the two osprey chicks in the nest. I believe I shall sign off this site never to return. One can preach “it is nature’s way” and “survival of the fittest” but one can also be humane and try to save creatures.

I will forever remember the little one. He gave a valiant effort. I am one who believes there should have been some intervention in this case. There was no reason to allow this baby bird to suffer so much. I stopped watching a number of days ago but read the comments. If I hear it was “natures way” one more time I will scream. Once that camera went up, humans were involved. I am not blaming Paul as he was in a difficult spot, but I still believe that the torturing of that baby should have been stopped.

Humans can not save ourselves just like these creatures – there are People in in the US and other parts of the world with no food, no water, no roof over their heads, sometimes living in war – consider our world as a nest – at some point we are not very different. Sorry for grammar mistakes…

So sad to see the little one go, but at least his suffering is over. I have a better understanding of why this happens after reading about avian siblicide. It is a common occurrence and it’s suppose to guarantee the survival of the fittest. It is still hard to watch and I am sad over it.
Little one will be soaring in Rainbow Bridge…RIP

What I don’t understand or accept is the words “we can’t intervene”….. if that were true why are orphaned chicks taken and put into nests with foster parents? Isn’t that intervening? It’s to help the species survive? Right? That’s COMPLETE intervening. Then the question SHOULD be, WHEN do you intervene? You can’t make exceptions. That baby could and should have been taken and given to foster parents STILL sitting on their eggs. ONE baby would have made a world of difference to another set of Ospreys. Instead, we all sit here watching a baby chick be tortured for hours and DO NOTHING. So much for the word “INTERVENE”……. This sickened me yesterday and AGAIN today…….If you’re going to “Intervene” SOMETIMES, this should have been one of those times. I’ve watched other nests be disturbed by humans to help the babies and they were all FINE…. bad decision on YOUR part THIS time…..

I will so miss the little guy, but not miss the brutality. I am just glad he died in his sleep, under the loving wings of his mother. I thank Paul and all the administrators for letting us view this nest. No one wanted the little guy to live more than me, but we cannot risk the rest of the family, or osprey in general, just to save his little soul. He is soaring high now, with not a care in the world. RIP little one

Rest in peace PeeWee. 🙂 So sad humans not Nature alone had a hand in the circumstances that caused this little chick to have died…..Hopefully, the experts watching this cam will look into the health of the waters surrounding the nest in that area, as not having enough fish for three chicks, and having that net in the nest for awhile, all may have contributed to the behavior of the birds and to this outcome…..At least now the little one is finally at peace…..I saw him a couple of days ago looking up at his mom and he seemed to be doing better…..Too sad…Let’s hope for the best for the remaining chicks…

It also appears that George is not fishing again today. He has been back to the nest or sitting on the camera, empty handed, three times now. Gracie will have to start fishing for what is left of this little family to survive. And heaven only knows what they will do with “Peanut.” I read that Osprey do not eat carrion, which I think he can now be considered. So, so sad.

No one should have intervened.
The same way the mother does not step in is the same reason no one should. She knows her offspring has to be tough. Stopping the others from fighting would make them weak and the little one weak. It is sad that he has died, but it is nature. Osprey’s usually lay three eggs with the hopes that two survive. Sometimes they don’t even get two or one. I have more heart ache for the mms that sit on eggs that never hatch (Dunrovin 2 years ago) or have an eagle swoop in and steal two fabulously healthy chicks.
Also keep in mind, the mother Osprey knows what is going on; she must be heartbroken as well. She had to watch, knowing she could not interfere.
Barn Owls would have eaten their sibling when starved. Keep in mind the other two babies were starved and fighting most likely escalated due to hunger.
If you look, their crops are empty.

Thank you for this cam and the privilege of observing the magnificent Ospreys.
Little one is in the arms of angels. Peace sweet little one.

May he Rest in Peace and us his extended family may we all be comforted and know no further sorrow. Let us celebrate the living. Nancy
the licensed wildlife rehabilitator pointed out the fish kills in the Peconic Bay. We can be better caretakers of our waters, we can make change and perhaps save some of the little guys in the future.